Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese and Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers were among the star players to support Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier’s comments regarding WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
Collier called out Engelbert during her exit interview on Tuesday, telling reporters that the WNBA has the “worst leadership in the world.”
Reese appeared to acknowledge Collier’s statement in a post on X, while Bueckers posted a picture of herself along with the Lynx star on her Instagram story (h/t ESPN’s Alexa Philippou).
As part of Collier’s remarks, she disclosed a conversation that she had with Engelbert regarding the WNBA’s young stars including Bueckers and Reese.
“I also asked how she planned to fix the fact that players like [Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers], who are clearly driving massive revenue for the league and are making so little for their first four years,” Collier said, via ESPN’s Myron Medcalf. “Her response was, ‘[Clark] should be grateful. She makes $16 million off the court because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.'”
“And in that same conversation, she told me, ‘Players should be on their knees, thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them,'” she added.
Seattle Storm star Nneka Ogwumike and Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby also supported Collier in separate posts on X (h/t Philippou).
Meanwhile, Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham wasn’t pleased with Engelbert’s purported comments about Fever teammate Caitlin Clark.
The WNBA and WNBPA are currently in discussions surrounding a new collective bargaining agreement, which will shape the future of the league moving forward.
Bueckers and Reese, two of the WNBA’s rising stars, have now backed Collier.
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